The present invention relates to a floorcare device which operates with the use of suction. More particularly, it relates to a floorcare device which is formed as a suction nozzle to be fitted on a suction conduit.
Floorcare devices of this general type are known in the art. A known floorcare device formed as a suction nozzle has a round brush which has a hollow body and rotates about a rigid axle on bearings with the aid of a power drive. The portions of the axle are supported in a housing of the device by eccentrics. Each of the eccentrics has a cylindrical receiving portion in which a respective end portion of the axle is received, and an engaging portion which is eccentrically offset relative to the receiving portion. The height of the round brush relative to a housing of the device, in other words, relative to a floor to be cleaned, can be adjusted. In the known device, this adjustment is performed by varying the eccentricity of the axle about which the round brush rotates. For this purpose, the engaging portion of one of the eccentrics is provided with a slot. A user must insert an additional instrument (at most such as a coin) into this slot and turn the engaging portion. Owing to the rigid connection between the axle and the engaging portions of both eccentrics, the engaging portion of the other eccentric also turns. Since the engaging portions are located eccentrically relative to the receiving portions, the rigid axle is either raised or lowered. Thereby, the position of an axis of rotation of the round brush is also changed relative to the housing or to the floor. This construction is disclosed in the German patent application P 2 318 425.0.
The above-described device has a disadvantage that the slot which is formed in the part constituted of a synthetic plastic material is destroyed after some time. A further disadvantage of this device is that when an additional tool, such as a coin, is utilized, a housewife must apply considerably high force for turning the engaging portion of the eccentric. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a floorcare device which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a floorcare device which permits a user to perform height adjustments easily and simply, as well as without an additional tool.
In keeping with these objects and with others which will become apparent hereinafter, one feature of the present invention resides, briefly stated, in a floorcare device wherein a rigid axle of a round brush is supported in a housing by an eccentric which can be turned by a ratchet mechanism. In such a construction the eccentric and thereby the axle can be easily and simply turned by a user so as to adjust the height of the round brush.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention, two such eccentrics are provided, and the rachet mechanism is formed by two ratchet wheel each provided on a respective one of the eccentrics, and two ring surrounding the ratchet wheels and having ratchets engageable with the ratchet wheels.
The ratchet of each ratchet ring may be elastic and of one piece with the latter. One of the rings may be mounted in the housing immovably, whereas the other ring is turnable and provided with a lever for turning the same. The adjustment of the brush height can be performed by a user with the aid of the lever, without utilization of an additional tool. The adusting lever may be pulled to the housing by a spring which returns the lever to its initial position. Finally, a further feature of the present invention is that an engaging portion of each eccentric may be formed as the above-mentioned ratchet wheel.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.